NEW ORLEANS — Unfortunately, as the coronavirus continues to spread and kill people, laying those people to rest is causing changes in how it’s done.
At Baloney Funeral Home in LaPlace, there was a funeral Friday morning for someone who died from COVID-19 complications.
“It’s unusual,” said funeral director Kirk Barrow.
In the new normal, only ten people at a time are allowed in the chapel. While there is a larger area to accommodate more, at six feet apart, there’s a basic human interaction missing.
“One thing I just can come to grips with is the lack of touch,” said Barrow.
As director, Barrow said it’s tough watching families unable to comfort each other at a time when needed most.
“People come for comfort. Families come to be with each other,” said Barrow. “They can’t do that now.”
This funeral home sits in St. John the Baptist Parish which recently had a spike in COVID-19 related deaths. That spike has parish coroner, and physician, Christy Montegut paying attention.
“The daily routine has changed a lot. We’re not having as many doctor’s visits but now, all of a sudden, we’re getting a lot more coroner calls,” said Montegut.
That was Montegut earlier this week when we interviewed him about that spike in COVID-19 related deaths. He said as of Friday funeral homes in the parish are doing the best they can.
“If this continues, I can see where we might have a problem. As far as funeral homes handling them or say if there is no family available to handle it, we might have to store the bodies, find a storage facility,” said Montegut.
Whether deaths are COVID-19 related or something entirely different, storage at Baloney Funeral Home hasn’t reached capacity yet, but there is a concern is could. Barrow said cross-contamination of COVID-19 cases is also a concern, but precautions are taken. As cases continue, he said some families are adapting to that new normal.
“I know that some families are having the funeral with the minimum amount of people and they will have a larger memorial service later,” said Barrow.
In the meantime, families still face tough decisions in times of uncertainty.
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